Mortimer g



(No Model.)

. M. G. LEWIS.

BENCH VISE.

Patented Jan. 5,1892..

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WITNESSES:

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ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

MORTIMER G. LEWIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BENCH-VISE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,466, dated January .5, 1892.

' Application filed May 23, 1891. Serial No. 393,815. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER G. LEWIS, of New York city, county and State of New York, haveinvented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Bench-Vises, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has relation to bench-vises, and particularly to such as are intended to clamp and hold tapering or inclined pieces of work as well as straight pieces, one of the jaws being capable of'inclination with respect to the, other and provided with means for locking it in parallel position when required.

The principal objects of my invention are to simplify and improve the manner of mounting and means of locking the movable jaw, rendering the lock or catch secure,reliable, easy and convenient to operate; to place the lock or catch in such position that it will not interfere with the use of tools about the vise, that it will not be damaged or disarranged ,during use of the vise, that it will be protected against interference by filings or foreign matters; to obviate danger of the catch becoming loosened while in holding position, and to render the movable jaw strong and durable without increasing its height.

To accomplish all of this and to secure other and further advantages in the matters of construction, operation, and use, my improvements involve certain new and useful arv rang'ements or combinations of parts and peculiar features of invention, as will be herein first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figurel is a view'partly in section and partlyin elevation, showing-a vise constructed and arranged for operation in accordance with my invention and involving myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same, the dotted'lines indicating one position to which the back jaw may be turned or inclined. Fig. 3 is a plan of the seat for the back jaw, the latter being removed, showing the curved form of front andrear to admit of the required movements. Fig. 4 is a sectional view enlarged beyond previous figures, showing only the plate which.

holds the locking-pin in place; and Fig. 5 is an elevation correspondingly enlarged, showing the locking-pin detached.

In all these figures like letters of reference wherever they occur indicate corresponding parts. 7

A is any base on which the vise may be mounted or secured to the bench.

B is the front jaw, movable back and forth by the screw 0, and D is the opposite or back jaw. The jaw D for straight work is held parallel with jaw B; but it may be allowed to adjust itself upon its seat so that it will automatically turn to conform to the shape of the piece or work being clamped.

On the seat E is a curved face a, under whichrides a correspondingly-curved projection b of jaw D and this holds the jaw on its seat to whatever working position the jaw may be turned. On the rear part of the seat is a raised abutment d, which enters a corresponding channel in the rearward extension of jaw D, and this extended part reaches over and down back of the end of the seat, as plainly shown in Fig. 1, the curves of the bearing-surfaces all corresponding with that of the face a.

The abutment d operates with the face of the seat as an additional means of sustaining jaw D against the force of blows or any pressure brought against it, and by this construction I am enabled to make the jaw within the usual limits of other forms of vises or without adding to its height above-the bar F, as would otherwise be required to obtain the necessary strength, By this means I save in weight and size of vise, and in eifect produce a stronger and better article.

When the jaw D is left free to move on its seat, it automatically conforms to the shape of the article being clamped; but in many cases it is necessary to hold the two jaws parallel with each other, and to do this I supply a locking-pin. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 5.) Thispin has a slightly inclined portion e, which enters a perforation provided for it in the rear of seat E, and fits' also theinner portion of a, recess f, formed in the downward extension D of the movable jaw. The shank g of the pin rides in a perforation it, formed in a plate G, removably attached tosaid extension. By pulling the pin back the jaw is released, and by forcing it to its seat it is held fast.

To prevent the accidental jarringv out or loosening of the pin, its shank is supplied with a slight projection, as the cross-pin i, and this enters a groove z", provided for it in the wall of perforation h of plate G. A crosspin 70 will serve as a means of turning the locking-pin. By a slight turn it is wedged to its seat, as will be readily understood. By a similar turn it may be loosened, and when the pin i is clear of groove i the locking-pin may be drawn back to release the jaw.

Heretofore the means for locking movable vise-jaws have been applied on top of the jaws or their extensions and near to the front, and were thus in the way of the workman,

always liable to be displaced and lost and always exposed to interference by accumulations of filings, 4320. By locating the look at the rear, as above indicated and below the top I leave the back part of the jaw entirely free and protect the lock against entrance of obstructing matters; and, further than this, by th us locating the look I am enabled tohold the jaw much more securely than in former plans, for in this position its leverage over any disturbing force is greatest possible, whereas in other forms, the lock being close to the center of movement, the leverage is in favor of the disturbing force. The locking-pin is always in place for instant application and cannot be detached without purposely dismounting the holding-plate.

Having now fully described myinvention, what I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vise havingamovable jaw, the combination, with said jaw, of the seat therefor, 40 the same being curved in front and having a curved abutment at the rear, substantially as and for the purposes explained.

2. In a vise having a movable jaw, the locking-pin applied in the rearward and downward extension thereof and arranged to engage in a perforation in the rear of the jawseat, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a vise of the character herein set forth, the combination, with the movable jaw, of a locking-pin havinga projection on its shank, and a perforated and grooved or threaded holding-plate applied and arrangedsubstantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

MORTIMER. G. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

W. J. MORGAN, WORTH Oseoon. 

